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Emergency Board Up in St. Petersburg, FL

We board up broken windows, forced doors and storm-damaged openings at St. Petersburg homes and businesses, in Pinellas County. About 7 in 10 homes here were built before 1980[1], so a lot of older, non-impact glass is still in place. Boards on an empty building must be exterior plywood painted to blend in[2]. Send the address and what is open for a free estimate.

St. Petersburg at a glance

Open buildings
Must be secured, city code
An open window or door on a St. Pete building breaks city code until it is locked, repaired or boarded[3].
Boards on vacant buildings
Exterior plywood, painted neutral
Boards left on an empty building must blend with its exterior colors[2].
Design wind speed
145 mph on city form
New windows here need shutters or impact glass[4].
Helene surge
6.31 ft, a gauge record
The old record was 3.97 ft, so floodwater reached ground-floor doors and glass[5].
Police non-emergency
(727) 893-7780
Report a finished break-in here to get the case number your insurer will want[6].
Typical cost
$180 to $910
One to a few broken windows or a single door covered with plywood.

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Emergency Board Up in St. Petersburg, FL

By sending this request you agree that Florida Board Up Kings may call, text or email you about it at the number and email you gave. See our Privacy Policy.

  1. We read what broke and where.
  2. We call you to confirm the details and the price, before any boards go up.
  3. A technician from our own crew secures the openings and photographs each one.

How Much Does Emergency Board Up Cost in St. Petersburg?

Emergency board up in St. Petersburg typically costs $180 to $910 to cover one to a few broken windows or a door with plywood.

On a block house, the city's panel detail laps 3 1/2 inches past the opening, with anchors set 2 inches into the wall[4], slower work than fastening into wood. About a third of St. Pete homes are in buildings of five or more units[1], where upper-floor glass is slower to reach.

Our cost page covers the rest of what changes a price.

Will St. Pete Codes Compliance Board Up My Property if I Don't?

Yes, after notice. City code requires all structures to be secured against unauthorized entry, and open windows and doors on a vacant building can be boarded[3]. If the owner does not act after notice, the Codes Compliance Assistance Department can coordinate securing it. First the city notifies the owner, records a notice of intent and runs a legal advertisement[3].

The cost is assessed against the property[3], and securing property is one of the city's special assessments, which a title search will turn up[7]. The building then goes on the Vacant and Boarded list and is checked about every 60 days[3].

An owner who disagrees has ten days to appeal a notice of intent to secure, in writing to the City Clerk with a $35 fee, under City Code Section 8-271[8]. Boarding privately is usually faster.

How Should Storm Plywood Be Fastened on a St. Pete House?

The St. Petersburg Building Department's window and door form sets a prescriptive wind speed of 145 mph and a plywood panel detail[4]. Panels are precut and predrilled, with the hardware left on the house, and go over the opening, never inside it[4].

  • at least 7/16 inch thick, with no more than 44 inches between lines of fasteners[4]
  • lapping the wall at least 3 inches on wood frame, 3 1/2 inches on masonry or concrete[4]
  • fasteners 1/4 inch in diameter, 2 inches into the wall, no more than 16 inches apart, corrosion-resistant[4]

Pinellas County adds that each panel should be labeled for its opening[9]. That is pre-season work, not nails the night before a storm. Pinellas is not in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, which covers only Broward and Miami-Dade[10], so the rules on our Miami page do not apply here. The state background is on our Florida board-up rules page.

Why St. Pete Boards Up for Both Surge and Wind

The 2024 hurricanes hit the city in two ways. Helene brought surge: the St. Petersburg tide gauge reached 6.31 feet above mean higher high water, beating the 3.97 feet of Hurricane Elena in 1985[5]. Milton brought wind, with a 101 mph gust at Albert Whitted Airport[11] and the fabric roof torn off Tropicana Field[12]. City inspectors counted over 12,000 damaged properties after the pair[13].

StormYearWhat was recorded in Pinellas
Irma201777 homes or businesses destroyed, 533 with major damage[11]
Idalia2023Worst along the coast, including Shore Acres and Riviera Bay[11]
Helene202412 people drowned in the surge[5]
Milton202418.54 inches of rain in one day at Albert Whitted[11]

So a board-up after surge is usually at ground-floor doors and sliders in low areas, and after wind it can be glass anywhere. The city says much of St. Pete lies in evacuation zones[14]. Board up early, then leave when the order comes.

Boarding Up Kenwood Bungalows and Other Historic St. Pete Homes

The median St. Pete home was built in 1969, and about 37 percent date from before 1960[1]. Older sash rarely matches a stock sheet, so each board is cut to its opening, with care around original trim.

The city has local historic districts in North Shore, Kenwood, Round Lake, Granada Terrace, Roser Park and Lang's Bungalow Court[15]. Its design guidelines allow temporary commercial grade exterior plywood, 7/16 inch minimum, when a storm is coming[15]. Treatments should be reversible, fasteners can be pre-installed where they barely show, painted to match, and stored removable panels are preferred[15].

Permanent changes to a designated property go through a Certificate of Appropriateness[16], so ask the city before drilling anchors into a landmark.

Where in St. Petersburg We Board Up

We work across the city, from Old Northeast, Snell Isle, Historic Kenwood and Old Southeast to Shore Acres, Riviera Bay, Coquina Key, Greater Pinellas Point, Childs Park, Disston Heights and Jungle Terrace[17]. We also take jobs in Gulfport, St. Pete Beach, Pinellas Park, Seminole, Largo and Lealman, and up the county in Clearwater.

ZIP codes: 33701, 33702, 33703, 33704, 33705, 33707, 33710, 33711, 33712, 33713, 33714, 33715, 33716, 33762

St. Petersburg Questions

Who Handles an Open Building in Lealman, the City or Pinellas County?

Pinellas County. County Code Enforcement covers only unincorporated areas[18]. Inside St. Petersburg city limits, an open building goes to city Codes Compliance at (727) 893-7373[3].

Where Do I Get a Police Report for a Break-In Claim in St. Pete?

From the SPPD Records Division counter at 1301 First Avenue North, open weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., phone (727) 893-7537[19]. Report the break-in first on the non-emergency line, (727) 893-7780[6].

Can I Report an Open Vacant House in St. Pete Without Giving My Name?

No. The city cannot investigate anonymous complaints, and since July 1, 2021 Florida law has required a complainant to give a name and address[20]. Call Codes Compliance at (727) 893-7373[3].

How Big Can a St. Pete Code Fine Get if a Building Stays Open?

Civil citations under Chapter 9 of the City Code run from $40 to $500 per violation[20]. Daily fines ordered by the Code Enforcement Board can become liens if the deadline passes[20].

Does a Board-Up Contractor Need to Be Registered in Pinellas County?

Yes, state certified contractors must register to work in Pinellas County[21]. Ask for the name and license number and check it with the county's Contractor Search. Unlicensed contracting is reported at (727) 582-6767[21].

Should I Photograph the Damage Before My St. Pete Home Is Boarded?

Yes. Florida's Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights tells policyholders to document emergency repairs, keep receipts and photograph damage before and after[22]. Policies issued since January 1, 2023 bar assigning benefits to a contractor[23]. More is on our Florida rules page.

Do I Need a City Permit to Fix Storm Damage After the Boards Go Up?

Yes, for permanent repairs that need one. The city's post-storm cases lead to violations only when work is done without permits[13]. Apply in Click2Gov and choose the Storm Related Damage user class, or apply at One 4th St. N.[14].

Can You Board Up My St. Pete Home While I'm Away?

Yes. About 16 percent of homes in the city are vacant[1], so many owners are away when a window breaks. Send the address, how we get in and who can approve the work, and we photograph each opening.

Near St. Petersburg

We also cover Tampa, Clearwater in the Tampa Bay area. See all areas, the price table and Florida rules.

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 (5-year)
  2. City of St. Petersburg Codes Compliance, Maintenance of Buildings brochure
  3. City of St. Petersburg, Codes Compliance: inspections, unsafe and vacant structures
  4. City of St. Petersburg Building Dept., Window & Door Residential Compliance Form (rev. Jan. 2, 2018)
  5. National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Helene
  6. St. Petersburg Police Department
  7. City of St. Petersburg, Assessments & Liens
  8. City of St. Petersburg, Appeal Hearing Procedures for Notices of Condemnation and Intent to Secure (Oct. 2023), City Code Sec. 8-271
  9. Pinellas County, Requirements for Attaching Plywood for Window Protection
  10. Florida Building Code, Building, 8th ed. (2023), Chapter 2 definitions
  11. NOAA Storm Events Database, 2016-2025
  12. National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Milton
  13. City of St. Petersburg, Helene & Milton Damage Assessment Codes Cases
  14. City of St. Petersburg Hurricane Center
  15. City of St. Petersburg, Design Guidelines for Historic Properties
  16. City of St. Petersburg, Historic Preservation
  17. City of St. Petersburg, Neighborhood Associations map layer
  18. Pinellas County Code Enforcement Division
  19. St. Petersburg Police Department, Records Division
  20. City of St. Petersburg, Codes Compliance Assistance enforcement
  21. Pinellas County Contractor Licensing Department
  22. Florida Statutes, s. 627.7142 (Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights)
  23. Florida Statutes, s. 627.7152(13)

Checked November 2026. Rules change: confirm with the office named before you rely on one.

Request a free estimate

Emergency Board Up in St. Petersburg, FL

By sending this request you agree that Florida Board Up Kings may call, text or email you about it at the number and email you gave. See our Privacy Policy.

  1. We read what broke and where.
  2. We call you to confirm the details and the price, before any boards go up.
  3. A technician from our own crew secures the openings and photographs each one.